HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Each week, we put the spotlight on an NFL player with Alabama ties. This week:

Justin Tuck

Position: Defensive end

College: Notre Dame

Hometown: Kellyton

High School: Central-Coosa

NFL Team: New York Giants

Here's the scoop: It was an interesting meeting for two of Subway's athlete/spokespersons, Justin Tuck and Washington Redskins' QB Robert Griffin III. Four times, Tuck sacked Griffin, a career high, earning him NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Tuck, in his ninth season and at 30 years of age, was beginning to hear suggestions he had lost a step and that the Giants might not be interested in re-signing him when his contract ends after this year. He had only 2 ½ sacks on the season coming into the Washington game.

"Hopefully, after tonight people will believe that I can still play this game at a high level," Tuck said after the game. "It (four sacks) is a big feat, obviously. The most important thing is we got a win. I played pretty good tonight. The guys are heckling me a little bit. But it's a good feeling."

"I didn't see that (loss of a step)," coach Tom Coughlin. "I thought he practiced and played well. He didn't have the numbers but he's a guy when we referred to the number of sacks we missed, where the quarterback has escaped."

Conor Orr, a reporter with the Newark Star-Ledger interviewed Tuck earlier in the week on his future.

"Oh, I'm definitely not retiring. I definitely will continue to play," Tuck said. "My body feels great. I definitely have a huge passion for the game, and we'll see where everything stacks up at the end of the year."

Orr caught him while Tuck was making a promotional appearance. He was at a Subway, making sandwiches as part of a customer appreciation visit.

Last week: Former Alabama defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick had his first career NFL reception in Cincinnati's win over San Diego. ... Carolina won its eighth straight as ex-Auburn QB Cam Newton threw for two TDs and rushed for another. ... Houston's Ben Tate, the former Auburn running back thrust into the Texans' starting role, rushed for 106 yards on 22 carries, scoring three TDs in a loss to New England. ....Former Auburn defensive lineman Sen'Derrick Marks had three tackles and a sack as the Jaguars beat Cleveland. ... Former Alabama standout Brad Smelley was added to the Houston practice squad and ex-Alabama A&M offensive lineman Jamaal Johnson-Webb was picked up by Buffalo.

Keep an eye on: Jason Campbell, the former Auburn quarterback, has returned to practice with the Browns after missing last week's game due to a concussion suffered on Nov. 24. He'll likely get the start against New England. ... Cowboys star DeMarcus Ware of Troy has a sack in three consecutive Monday Night Football appearances and Dallas will be playing at Chicago Monday night. Since entering the NFL in 2005, he has 116 sacks, the most of any player in that period. ... The Cincinnati Bengals have had to tweak their offensive line because of injury and because former Alabama tackle Andre Smith has struggled lately, allowing three sacks in three games. The Bengals face a challenge against Indianapolis and former Alabama A&M standout Robert Mathis, the NFL sacks leader. But many point to an Indy-Cincinnati game in which Smith held Mathis without a sack in 2011 as a breakthrough performance for Smith.